- Posted By: Dark Emperor
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With Full Force is one of the festivals that Infernal Masquerade's staff will be attending this summer, since they provide a pretty solid lineup and a great location. If you havent purchased your tickets make sure you do so online (here) before the festival gets sold out!!
Hello, and thanks for taking the time for answering this interview. Let’s get started with the questions:
Infernal Masquerade: 2009 marks the 16th edition of With Full Force, what was the original idea behind creating the festival?
WFF: The idea is to organize a festival which unites the bands and fans of all live-played hard music. When it started in 1994, there was no other like this in Germany. To be honest: We took this idea from the legendary Dynamo festival.
I.M: Did you ever expect that the festival was going to grow to its current size?
WFF: In the beginning we never expected such a size. It’s the result of a long-time hard work.
I.M: Can you briefly outline the logistics that go behind putting a festival this size? Is this your full time job (besides organizing other events)? How is the process of selecting bands to play on the festival?
WFF: We can say we build a temporary town! We have hundreds of empoyees and partners at the festival site.
After the festival we start to work at the next one. We are 3 promoters and 2 secretaries.
WFF has the main part at our working time.
I.M: What is the most frustrating part of this process?
WFF: If a band cancels a confirmed show...
I.M: WWF combines different musical genres and different types of crowds, has this been a problem in the past (people fighting, etc)?
WFF: No, we have only a handfull of problems, but these are everywhere. The different “subcultural” crowds have a big party together! WFF unites all fans of handmade hard music.
I.M: What was the reason behind selecting the Roitzschjora airport in Löbnitz as the festival site?
WFF: After the problems in Zwickau (my hometown) in 1997 we searcehd fo a new area, and we fought it in Roitzschjora.
I.M: How you think the current economical problems that the whole world is having will affect the summer festival circuit this year? How do you think it will affect With Full Force?
WFF: Until today we haven’t got any affects. The pre-sell is going very good. May be the people buy tickets as long as they have the money for it...
I.M: Your site contains very detailed and useful information for people attending the festival, any personal ‘insider’ recommendations you would like to make for people attending the festival for the first time?
WFF: Have a lot of fun, have a big party! But please stay peaceful and keep your respect to your neighbour, so all together can enjoy a great festival.
I.M: The current line-up is pretty impressive and there are still bands to be confirmed, any insight into the total number of bands appearing this year? Any ‘hints’ to what bands will be announced later? Any idea on what date of more bands will be announced. And/or when will the festival line-up will be finalized?
WFF: We have nearly all bands booked, untill the end of april we’ll publish the full line-up and the running order.
I.M: Of all the confirmed bands, which one are you guys personally more excited to have on stage?
WFF: This year it’s Social Distortion, the band we asked for since 1999.
I.M: After the resolution of the Gorgoroth legal dispute, is the ‘real’ Gorgoroth confirmed for the festival? Or is the Gaahl and King fronted band?
WFF: It’s GOD SEED, the new-named band of Gaahl and King.
I.M: Any funny or outrageous situations that you needed to deal with during the event and its organization?
WFF: Slipknot played some years ago as headliner. Before this show the played at Roskilde in the afternoon, took a private jet right after the show, and we picked them up at the airport Leipzig direct at the airfield to bring them escorted by police on stage immediately.
I.M: Anything you want to add for our readers to know or consider when they are planning to attend With Full Force?
Thanks for the interview!!
WFF: We are a big family; fans, bands and us! In this community we do the fest all together, everybody give his input, and all together of it will create the special festival feeling. Be a part of it!
Cheers
Bogo
